Fantasy

The morning sunlight illuminated the interior of the carriage, colliding perfectly with Atlas's face.

Atlas groaned and turned to hide in the shadow, but in an instant, he opened his eyes and stood up gasping as he stared ahead with a lost look. His entire body was drenched with sweat for no apparent reason and his body felt strangely lethargic.

'W-what?'

Atlas patted his face several times making sure everything was okay. He even looked around the carriage where other mages were still sleeping peacefully.

His heart was beating rapidly, so Atlas took a deep breath to try to calm down. A minute later, he had completely calmed his heart, then swallowed only to realize that his mouth was completely dry.

'I'm thirsty…'

Atlas grabbed his slightly sore throat and soon left the carriage. There were already mages around him doing his thing, but Atlas ignored them and went to a barrel full of water to clean his face.

Soaking his face several times and drinking some water, Atlas felt refreshed. He sat on a nearby log as he breathed deeply and looked around.

'A nightmare? I didn't have one in a while... although I don't remember it at all'

When he came to this world, Atlas suffered from constant nightmares remembering what had happened in the last moments of his past life. But over time he little by little got used to it.

That's why Atlas felt so disoriented, since he wasn't used to having such a strong nightmare... even if he didn't remember it.

A few minutes later, Atlas headed towards the back of the convoy to meet Faun for breakfast. The former maid had begun to adapt little by little, and now she helped prepare the food in the mornings and at night.

Although she also helped Atlas with some things like she did before when they lived in the viscount's house.

"Today we will go to the city?" Faun asked as she ate.

Atlas nodded slightly.

"Basgran spoke directly with the emperor and they let us enter without any problem, and just like in Bleakrun, we will build a temporary camp on the outskirts of the city"

Faun took another bite.

"I want to sleep in a real bed!"

At that moment, Adoh who was eating silently, looked at Faun and sighed.

"They have treated us very well in all the cities we have passed through… they even let us easily cross the border without any problem"

Atlas took his own bite and nodded.

"I thought there were some tensions between the kingdom and the empire, but it seems I was wrong. The whole empire seems so… peaceful"

Atlas put the bowl aside after finishing and looked towards the walls of the capital.

"The kingdom is going through a good time, but so is the empire. All the people seem too happy even with their own problems…"

Atlas suddenly fell silent, noticing a small incongruity in his words, but he let it pass a moment later and continued talking calmly with Faun and Adoh.

A few hours later, the three entered the city. Basgran, along with other high-ranking officials, went to meet the emperor again, so they had let everyone do what they wanted.

As both Faun and Atlas were curious to know what the capital of the empire was like, they did not hesitate to enter as soon as they were free.

The first thing Atlas noticed in comparison to the towns he knew like Bleakrun and Dewborough, was that the main street was too wide. Strangely, there were no carriages or horses on the streets, but the roads on each side of the street were completely full, even too full.

It was as if the city was overpopulated, but again, Atlas did not give it much importance since he had no reference to compare the capital.

The two walked while Adoh was hidden inside Faun's clothes. They looked at everything with curiosity, until they reached a small market away from the main street.

Faun talked happily with the vendors and some housewives who were buying some fruit while Atlas stood to the side watching the market in silence.

Somewhat away from the market, Atlas heard some younger children playing happily in an unkempt garden with uncut grass and untended plants.

Atlas looked up, observing the building behind the small garden.

'A church…'

It reminded him of the church where he stayed for a while when Maroth almost murdered him by poisoning him and where Aryn adopted him. He felt a little nostalgic even though he knew it had only been about 4 years, but it still felt like an eternity to him.

'Why is there a church in such poor condition in the middle of the market'

The market was not the best in the city, even most of the people who were there were low-income people. But all the buildings were tidy and in perfect condition except for the church.

Atlas was a little curious, but then Faun approached him. Atlas ignored the church and walked away with Faun, leaving the children to play in peace in the unkempt garden.

"Do you think we will be able to meet the emperor?"

Atlas heard Faun's question and unconsciously looked at the great castle that rose in the middle of the great city. Wherever they were in any part of the city, the castle was visible. This showed the greatness of the imperial family to anyone who looked at the magnificent construction.

"Hmmm, I don't know, maybe?"

Atlas took in equal measure the comparison between the kings and emperors of this world with the presidents of his previous world. It was impossible to find them on the street, but at specific events it was not difficult to see them from afar.

"Are you curious about the emperor's family?" Atlas asked, to which Faun nodded.

"I want to know what the nobles are like in this place… I don't have very good memories of them, but everyone seems so happy that it makes me think that there is no evil in this place"

Atlas remained silent.

'Evil, huh?'

Certainly, for all the cities that the convoy had crossed, the nobles who ran those territories always treated them respectfully, even too much. It all seemed like a strange fantasy, so it wasn't strange for Faun to think that.